River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-01-27
A DETECTIVES STORY.

bied IN barn belonging 10 Farmer DE
Witt, in a remote district. on an even
ing IN the month of September
The deceased was attired in the garb
of a peddler. His pack of bogus Jew
elIy and hnery lay beside the dead
body, his pockets were turned inside
out. just rs they had been found on the
discovery of the corpse early the morn
ing of the same day, few yards from
sluggish stream, across which, as no
bridge was nigh, n cart-roGd ran be-
tween the two small towns of Mineral
Point and ST. Rose East, equidistant in
opposite directions, about five miles
from the river. The stream, though
deep in its ordinary course, happens at
this ford, especially during the summer
months, 10 be not more than few
inches high, and SO shallow was the
water then that the tracks of the cart
wheels and the marks of the horses
hoofs We're quite discernible in the
hard sand or fine gravel. An odd step
ping-stone was also to be awaited Of
A verdict in accordance with the
direction of the Coroner was then hand
ed in and the jury were discharged with
the remark of that official
1T is altogether most mysterious
I
business; this is the seventh case of the
kind within the last four months.
My firm-a detective agency-had
been instructed by the authorities at
Mineral Point 10 depute some
one to attend this inquest and
10 sift the affair to the bottom. An
intimation was given me that speedy
4 promotion would follow on my un-
rAyeling the mystery, and as got un-
limited discretion concerning my line
of action, whether as regards the time
| should occupy about the business, the
expenses / might incur, or the assis-
lance, if any, | >hould avail myself of.
! felt that my professional reputation
was at stake, and that if another such
murder were to bee committed ere | had
unearthed the guilty parties the sooner
| changed my vocation for some other
the better for myself and my employers.
No one who is not detective can
enter into the inner mind of one, nor
in his most imaginative moments con
jure up the feelings which influence the
breast of Il true member of such USE
full branch of the community. Grimes
are perpetratcd which battle detection.
! The miscreantS who committed them
go about in the fun glare of noontide
unpublished, because unrccognized;
perhaps sit ut the same table, ride in
the same car, join you in conversation,
joStle you on the highway, and until
the requisite clew is discovered, know
ing all this to be so, the genuine de
tective considers himself rs in some
measure an abctter. involuntary though
he be. of every such defeat of Justice,
and almost betTayer ofthe confidence
reposed in him to find QUITO detect
the criminal. and the case is in no
whit altered by the circumstances sur
rounding it from the very start being
shrouded in complete mystery and that
no clew whatever presents itself in the
outset.
| walked with the Coroner TO his
| house in the small town of Mineral
Point, which lay five miles westward of
the river, and learned from him while
| sat at dinner that previously to this
| last one six mysterious murders had
been, as ne intimated to the jury, al
ready committed at the same spot.
! The first person murdered was a com
mercial traveller as appeared from let
! tiers found about his person. He had
represented jcwclry firm in Chicago,
and had taken with him sample case
of watches and rings, but the bag in
which he carried his wares was no
where to be found Every barrel of
! his Six-shooter was undischarged, caus-
/ ing the inference that he had been taken
/ by surprise. No marks of violence
were observable about his person at the
time he was found, and the verdict
| handed in was one of death from UNI
known causes-presumably apopleXy
or sunstroke.
| Not later, however, than four days
| after his murder respectable farmer
well known in the locality, shared the
same fate on his return from Journey
on which he had received large sum
| for corn, and of which he was plum
dered.
| In his case the circumstances were
somewhat different, for, whilst the com
mercial traveller aforesaid was q person
of stout physique. Farmer Goodwin was
a thin. spare, meagrc man, about the
last, Judging from his appearance, to
meet with such a supposed visitation.
His sons insistedo on a strict postmOrtem
examination being held, and, in addi-
ton to the doctor of the town they
brought from a distance an eminent
medical man. both of whom, after "A
careful inspection of the body, dis
covered small punctured wound in
the region of the heart, caused rs the
scapel showed on dissection of the flesh,
by needle which was lodged in the
heart.
..Of course, Mr. Coroner" said ],
you exhumed the body of the CONNER
cial traveler?N
"Yon have anticipated me, replied
the narrator. I'VE had the body dug
up, and the same medical men examined
it and found that death in the former
case had also been caused by similar
means.
did YOU search the various dwell
ings around? Could there have been
any lurking place." | inquired. any
where that the miscreant could have
been secretede'
The most thorough search was
made for miles around. / need scarcely
tell YOU. A watch was again SGT, but
to no purpose. Day and night for
month conStables in disguise We're sta
toned near the place, but all was un-
availing, for upon their withdrawal
after months time another foul muir
der was committed This TING it was
another drummer, a man named kris-
coe, who represented an iron-gate man
ufaeturing firm in Milwaukee. He
had neither watch nor purse on his